Cyclocephala Dejean, 1821

Ratcliffe, Brett C., 2014, A New Genus and Species of Dynastinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, other New Species of Cyclocephalini, Pentodontini, and Phileurini from South America, and a Revised Key to the Genera of New World Pentodontini, The Coleopterists Bulletin 68 (4), pp. 663-680 : 663-680

Cyclocephala Dejean, 1821

Cyclocephala is a large genus that currently contains about 350 species, although new species are being described continuously. Endrödi (1985) provided the most recent synopsis of the genus,

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although 130 species have been described since this work. Consequently, the keys in Endrödi’ s manual are now incomplete because there exist 44% more species than are in the keys. Cyclocephala species occur from extreme southeastern Canada south to Argentina and Chile and in the West Indies. One species has been introduced into Australia. Most of the species occur in Central and South America.

Species in the genus may be recognized by a clypeus that is subparallel at its base and with the sides converging anteriorly to a rounded, parabolic, subtruncate, or emarginate apex; antenna with 8–10 segments and the club longer in the males of some species; and protarsus in the males distinctly enlarged with the median (inner) claw much larger than the outer claw. The protarsus in females is simple and not enlarged.

Adult Cyclocephala species are nocturnal, and they are attracted to lights at night. Only a few larvae have been described, and those seem to feed on the roots of grasses. Adults of some tropical species are known to feed upon and pollinate inside the flowers of aroids and certain palms.